Kidnapped child dies at hospital after recovery

He was found detained at a warehouse, starved and gagged.

FAISALABAD:

A four-year-old boy kidnapped three days ago died at Allied Hospital where he was taken after being recovered by the police.

The boy was recovered using information provided by the suspect, who was arrested on Sunday. Police said he had confessed to the crime and led police to the warehouse where he had detained the boy.

The boy, whose mouth was wrapped with a cloth and his hands and feet tied, was lying unconscious. He was taken to the hospital, where he died a few hours later. Doctors said the child had been starved and had fainted from suffocation that led to his death. He had been on a ventilator for some time before he died.

The boy’s parents, residents of Maqsoodabad in Samanabad, said he had been playing in front of the house when he was kidnapped. The father said that Samanabad police were informed. He said he had received a call from the kidnapper demanding Rs500,000 ransom.

He said he had recognised the voice and informed the police about Muhammad Nauman alias Nomi, a resident of the same area, who was arrested. Police said the man confessed to kidnapping the child and led them to the warehouse where he had detained him. The boy was taken to the hospital, where he breathed his last.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah visited the bereaved family on Monday to condole over the child’s death. He assured the family that the kidnapper would be dealt with strictly. SHO Saeed Anwar Baloch said that Nauman told he needed to pay a Rs500,000 loan. He said he had no intention of killing the child.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2014.